There are 1,408 comedy shows alone being staged at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, far too many for one person to try to see. But these are the stand-out performers who had our critics rolling on the floor. Here’s our pick of this year’s must see comedy shows.

Mesmerising slides of colour illuminated the front of the Usher Hall as around 15,000 people gathered to witness the spectacular curtain-raiser that heralded the start of the Edinburgh International Festival.